The Canisius baseball team, fresh of its weekend split of Big South foe, Gardner-Webb, now heads even further south, to Lake Point, Ga., to play a four-game set at Perfect Game Field. Canisius takes on IPFW on Friday, Chicago State and NJIT on Saturday and IPFW again on Sunday to round out the slate. Game times are set for 5:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 a.m., respectively.
The Griffs opened up the season with a two-game split of Gardner-Webb last weekend, opening up with a pair of wins, before dropping the final two games of the contest. The middle of the order proved to be the biggest offensive catalysts with Ryan Stekl pacing the team in batting average (.450), hits (9) and doubles (3). Also sparking the offense was senior Jake Lumley who posted a .444 batting average with eight hits and one double. Christ Conley led the team in RBI during the four-game stand, rapping out five with a .429 batting average and six hits. The season-opener proved to be a marathon event, with the Griffs outlasting the Runnin’ Bulldogs 10-7 in extra innings. Canisius started off Saturday strong as well, recording a 9-5 win over Gardner-Webb before succumbing to 6-5 and 5-0 losses on the back end of the double-header and Sunday afternoon.
The Griffs pitching showed flashes of brilliance through the first four games, with junior J.P. Stevenson returning to his freshman-year form. Stevenson worked six innings, and allowed three runs, but only one earned, as he posted a 1.50 ERA in the first matchup. Also impressing from the bump was freshman Will Frank who came on in relief and worked four innings, and fanned four batters, allowing just one run. Andrew Sipowicz saw time and worked 5.1 innings, in the season-opener and struck out a career-best nine batters, while allowing a pair of runs. Carson Perkins started his first game as a Griff in the final game of the series and had an up-and-down outing, working 3.2 innings, and fanning five batters, but did allow three runs (two earned) in the no decision.
Following the four-game set this weekend, Canisius will once again be on the road, as the squad plays Fordham for a four-game series from March 3-5, in Wilson N.C. Canisius will play its first home game on March 7, 2017 when the Griffs and crosstown rival, Buffalo renew its mid-week series. Game is set for 3 p.m. at the Demske Sports Complex.
from GoGriffs.com via IFTTT
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